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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — certain
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. tube — the underground
  19. can — a tin
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cell — a phone
  22. can — a tin
  23. mate — to breed
  24. tube — a container

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com